I was born in Paisley, Scotland in December 1982 and spent the first seven years of my life living in the village of Bishopton. In late 1989 the family moved south of the border to Knowle, a large ...ver maisI was born in Paisley, Scotland in December 1982 and spent the first seven years of my life living in the village of Bishopton. In late 1989 the family moved south of the border to Knowle, a large village near Solihull in the West Midlands region of England.
I received my first taste of publication while at school, having a poem included in a school anthology. I studied IT and then received A levels in Art and Graphic Design. After college I studied graphic design at Southampton Solent University for a short time.
Since then I have concentrated mostly on my writing, while occasionally keeping up my design work. I appeared on the 2011-2012 series of the BBC’s Mastermind quiz show where I reached the semi-final.
My interests include sport, particularly football and rugby, film, news and current affairs, politics, television and reading.
My taste is for edgy, fast-moving fiction set in the real world. I enjoy both historical and contemporary novels but prefer them to be rooted in reality. I am personally not a fan of fantasy or science fiction. While the quality of the story is crucial for me, I do not believe that plot or character should be sacrificed for the other, as the best novels have both. It is important to strive for the best writing possible, however the pursuit of perfect prose should not be at the expense of forward momentum in the story. My influences include Jack Higgins, Tom Clancy and George Pelecanos, and my three favourite novels are Higgins’ The Eagle Has Landed, Clancy’s The Hunt for Red October and The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carre.
I have a keen interest in history which comes across in my work, and I pride myself on my research and historical accuracy.ver menos